Arts & Entertainment

Curator decries cut to ‘Hide/Seek’ exhibit

Ward says Smithsonian too quick to yank video

Published

15 years ago

December 23, 2010

A firestorm of controversy continues over the decision earlier this month by the Smithsonian Institution to yank a four-minute video, “A Fire in the Belly,” from the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) exhibit charting the history of same-sex attraction in American art.

Speaking Monday night about the uproar, nationally recognized Smithsonian art historian David Ward, the co-curator of “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture,” declared: “The Smithsonian was stampeded into making this decision” to remove the 1987 video by gay performance artist, painter and filmmaker David Wojnarowicz, who died of AIDS complications in 1992.

Ward called it “the pragmatic, bureaucratic decision” made by the Smithsonian head G. Wayne Clough, aimed at forestalling further congressional threats to cut back federal arts funding by incoming House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and majority leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.). Boehner and Cantor had joined the fiercely homophobic Catholic League in saying that the video was anti-Catholic “hate speech” because it contained 11 seconds of a scene depicting ants crawling on a crucifix.

Supporters of the video point out that figures of the crucified Christ are often used in artistic expression to depict suffering — such as in a recent National Gallery of Art East Building exhibit of Spanish baroque portraits of the suffering Christ, shown with gory and blood-stained detail.

Ward told a packed auditorium at the DC Jewish Community Center, where a panel discussion titled “hide/SPEAK” was held to discuss the controversy, that he opposed Clough’s decision, and continues to criticize it as made much too quickly. “I’m not holding myself blameless” about how things were handled, he said, “but I am holding myself innocent.”

Ward said Clough made the decision “to create a firebreak” and “it was not so much for the gay issue but for Christian-ism,” a reference to the Catholic League complaint, but that this ostensible religious objection was nevertheless really a cover for blatant right-wing homophobia. “I’m not happy about” the Clough action, said Ward, “but if it works, great” — that is, to save the remainder of the exhibit, which is scheduled to run at the NPG through Feb. 13.

Ward also criticized the action announced last week by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, which warned Clough that unless the Wojnarowicz video is returned to the exhibit it will withhold all future funds to any Smithsonian museum. The Warhol Foundation funded $100,000 of the costs to mount the exhibit, part of $800,000 in total private donations for the show raised by Ward and co-curator Jonathan D. Katz over the past two years. Ward declared that, though “I find their reaction understandable,” it’s more important for such institutions to remain active in support for the arts at the Smithsonian galleries, which in the past has received a total of $375,000 in Warhol funding of various shows including “Hide/Seek.”

Ward also said he had contacted Canadian artist AA Bronson, a pioneer in art with gay themes, to implore him not to follow through on his request — made last week to protest the video removal — for the NPG to take down a print of one of his photographs in the exhibit, a harrowing photo of his partner just after his death of HIV/AIDS causes.

This photo, titled “Felix, June 5, 1994,” according to Ward is “so powerful an image” and is “the anchor for the last part of the exhibition, and I don’t want to lose this piece.” Bronson has also asked all artists in the exhibit to recall their work.

“But I want to keep the exhibit as whole as I can for the remaining six weeks of its run,” Ward told the gathering crowded with at least 300 supporters who cheered every reference to the importance of the show, which until the removal of the video had 105 pieces on display in this first-ever exhibition in a major American museum of art with same-sex attraction so front and center.

“The key fact remains that the show itself has not been cancelled,” he said. “We took a flesh wound but it’s not a mortal blow.”

“Hide/Seek” can be seen at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F streets, N.W. Ward will lead a private tour of the exhibit on Sunday, Feb. 6, with a focus on major gay and lesbian Jewish artists and subjects represented, such as writers Susan Sontag, Gertrude Stein and Allen Ginsberg and photographer Annie Leibovitz. For further details on this event, check with the DC JCC’s GLBT Outreach and Engagement (GLOE).

Arts & Entertainment

Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71

Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’

Published

18 hours ago

January 30, 2026

Matt Minton

(Photo courtesy of Pop TV)

Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.

O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.

In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.

In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”

Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.

Calendar

Calendar: January 30-February 5

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

23 hours ago

January 30, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, January 30

Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).

Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, January 31

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, February 1

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, February 2

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@t hedccenter.org).

Tuesday, February 3

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].

Wednesday, February 4

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Thursday, February 5

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

a&e features

D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale

Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions

Published

1 day ago

January 30, 2026

Lou Chibbaro Jr.

Pitchers is for sale at an undisclosed price. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.

The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.

He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.”

“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18^th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.

“Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”

It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”

“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says.

Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price.

News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets

In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.

The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.

The sales brochure can be accessed here.